1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biometric image pickup apparatus picking up an image of the structure of a living organism part such as a vein or a fingerprint.
2. Description of the Related Art
In related arts, biometric image pickup apparatuses picking up an image of the structure of a living organism part are used in biometrics authentication systems or the like, and various biometrics authentication systems performing authentication of a living organism, for example, through the use of image pickup data of fingerprints or veins have been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005-312748, 2006-181296, H10-289304, 2006-146612 and 2006-155575). Typically, in a biometrics authentication system, an image pickup apparatus has a large thickness, so in the case where the image pickup apparatus is applied to a low-profile device, a technique of arranging the image pickup apparatus outside an authentication system (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-312748) and a technique of independently arranging an optical system (an image pickup lens) and a detection system (an image pickup device) (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-181296) have been mainstream.
However, in recent years, according to a reduction in profiles of various devices, constraints of manufacturability or design, or the like, the implementation of a biometrics authentication system as a low-profile module capable of being directly mounted on such a device is desired. Therefore, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-155575, a low-profile image pickup optical system in which near-infrared light sources are arranged on both sides (the right and left sides) of a finger, thereby light is applied to the inside of the finger to obtain image pickup data of veins has been proposed.